A Waiting Game and a Budget

With the passage of a school finance plan and, thanks to a veto override, a tax plan, the legislature has one more major piece of business between them adjournment – the final budget bill.

As we write today, the House is debating their budget bill and the Senate is on a recess, ready to come back to vote, at least, on a conference committee report.

Once both chambers pass a budget, they will need to work out the differences in a conference committee. We anticipate that both budgets will be done today, leaving tomorrow for the adoption of a conference committee report. It is possible to wrap up the session tomorrow but not certain.

But we are also waiting to hear if Governor Brownback signs or vetoes the school finance bill. It was announced that he signed a bill simplifying the rules about working after retirement in KPERS positions but no word yet on SB 19, school finance.

In the meantime, we would suggest you follow twitter. Best sources are, of course our own Mark Desetti (@desettiks), the statehouse reporters (@kprkoranda, @Celia_LJ, @jonshorman, @LJWpqhancock), and one of the best sources of action unfolding in the House is Rep. Stephanie Clayton (@SSCJoCoKs).